Enterprising Archeology
by justsomerain
Summary: After the Cataclysm, a girl will need to earn herself a bit of money, in one way or another, so Segolia heads for Ratchet. Here she meets a Goblin, who gives her an offer she can't refuse.  Updated 1st March
1. Ratchett

After leaving the Echo Isles, she left for Ratchet. A city like that, at the coast, and run by Goblins, after a Cataclysm like this? They would sure enough need every hand they could get to help rebuild their trading port as soon as possible, and to get those hands to help, surely even a Goblin would sacrifice some gold. After all, what's a little gold if you get a chance of making more money sooner again?

Unfortunately, Segolia hadn't been the only one with the bright idea to look for work in Ratchet, and droves of Trolls, Orcs and Tauren had flocked to the coastal town too, for the same reason as she had. When at the end of the day the only unhired folk were her and a runty, sickly looking Orc, she left for the newly rebuilt inn. There was a lot to be said about Goblins, but at the very least they had their business priorities straight, setting up the places that were sure to make most money with a lot of thirsty workmen around first.

It was there, when she was sipping her port, and Hati was gnawing something that looked a lot like the bloody remains of a gazelle leg, that a Goblin started talking to her. It was a short, green woman, dressed in travelling leathers, and brown hair in a lopsided topknot. "Nice dog you got there, sister."

The small woman nodded at Hati and then pulled out a chair, and took a seat, putting her glass on the table. She raised a hand at a gaggle of men sitting at the next table, grinning, and Segolia rolled her eyes. The Goblin caught it, and grinned at her. "See, maybe this is why you weren't hired. Giving 'em cheek." She looked from Segolia to the men, "Now, see, those boys there, they've got the right manners, real gentlemen, all of them. 's Why I hired 'em, right?"

Segolia nodded, unsure whether to hear the Goblin out, see where she was going with her story, or to leave the table. The Goblin took a gulp from her glass, and then held out her hand. "Gizelda Spizzlewig." The Elf raised an eyebrow, shaking the Goblin's hand, "Segolia."

Gizelda gave her a wink, "But, where I was going with this, we picked up you were looking for a job?" Segolia blinked for a moment, opening her mouth to say something, before the Goblin continued, "Yeah, see, bet you wish you hadn't just rolled your eyes at me, eh?"

She let out a highpitched giggle, shaking her head, and Segolia took her chance to get a word in, before the Goblin would verbally steamroller over her again. "So you've picked up on something quite obvious." she gave Gizelda a skeptical look, one long eyebrow raised, "Hardly a great feat of investigation."

A nod, admitting it, "Sure, sure, but you are looking for a job then?"

Segolia let out a sigh, "Yes, alright, I'm looking for a job. But unless you're offering one, and," she shot a glance at the other table, "it's not what I hope it's not, I don't really see where this is going."

The Goblin woman burst out in laughter, slamming one hand on the table. She took a deep breath to compose herself and spoke, corners of her mouth twitching. "Don't flatter yourself sister." She shot a glance at Segolia's ear, "In that business they're looking for beautiful women, and let's face it, with ears like that, who's to guess what other mutilations you hide?"

Segolia shrugged, "Fair enough," making a gesture to encourage the other woman to keep talking.

"No, that kind fo stuff is far from what we do. Now, see, Svaden there told me a bit about this dog of yours." Gizelda nodded at Hati, who seemed content to keep gnawing the bloody remains of the gazelle. "And good Svaden told me that with a beast like that, it probably means you've been to this Titan-y part up North." She waved at the men again, and a Dwarf Segolia supposed must be Svaden raised a hand in answer.

"You been to Tanaris?" The green woman had turned to Segolia again, who nodded. "Now, there's this big door there's come down, right, and word is there's moolah to be made." Gizelda had a gleeful look on her face as she said this, "Titan stuff in there, and there's enough fools who are willing to pay good moolah for any scrap enterprising individuals may offer them. 's Why Svaden pointed you out, cause surely a girl with a Titan wolf is keen to come along digging up Titan stuff, and make a fair bit of moolah in the process?"

So that's it, Segolia thought, they want me to travel along because some Dwarf told them Hati was from the Peaks? She shrugged, something that earned her money, and allowed her to travel around for it? She looked at Gizelda, who was giving her what she thought must pass for a winning smile, hand stretched out over the table. She took the Goblin's hand, grinning. "Deal."


	2. Gizelda and her boys  Southern Barrens

It quickly became apparent that the group of men who had been sat at the next table were Gizelda's travel companions, all with her for some reason or other. The Dwarf, Svaden, was a Paladin of the Light, who since the discovery of his ancestry had been looking for more and more information about the Titans. He was a Northrend veteran, and had later joined with Brann Bronzebeard's Explorer's League, daring to go into Ulduar. With him he'd brought a Gnome, a scholar, who shared his interest about the Titans. Elbert was like many of his race curious, but a little more focused than most of them. The tiny man had a habit of walking around with a stack of papers and some Gnomish contraption that allowed him to dictate anything of interest, and it would appear on the paper not too long after, which he boasted was his own invention.

Less interested in the knowledge to be unearthed in Uldum, but more in the call of adventure was a young Human lad, not much older than maybe twenty years. Christiam was tall, or taller than most Humans Segolia had had contact with, with broad shoulders, tan skin and a nearly constant grin on his face. Gizelda had told her she had hired the lad as somewhat of a bodyguard, and that he had been the first in the party. Christiam himself however had sworn he was an adventurer, and just in it for the adventure. He had winked at Segolia and shared his indubitably embellished life-story with her. If she were to believe him, growing up in Westfall was far from the farming drudgery most would call it, and one big eventful fight against all sorts of fiends.

The only other Horde member, though he hardly liked being remembered of that little fact, was a Sin'dorei, Mathar Firehand. The last one was in fact the only one who did not get payed by Gizelda, but rather had payed her, so he could travel to Uldum with her party. He mostly kept to himself, only every now and again mixing himself in the banter between the various members, and usually this was only to shut them up. He had a sharp, pointed face, and seemed busy with his studies, occasionally summoning demons to his side, earning the suspicion of most others. Whenever Svaden or Christiam would critisized the summoning of the demons, Gizelda would shrug off their complaints, going with what seemed to be every Goblin's explanation for not bothering somebody. "He's a paying customer, boys."

Being perhaps a little more used to the sight of demons used as tools -having lived in Silvermoon, and still seeing them sometimes used by Orcs- Segolia did not mind them much, more annoyed by the man's attitude.

From Ratchet they travelled first west, so as the cross the Great Divide and then south, through the southern part of the Barrens, which proved to be a little more dangerous than it used to be, a battlefield running through it, Horde and Alliance camps set up on either side of the battlefield. The party split up when they came nearer, the Dwarf, Gnome and Human travelling past the Alliance camp, leaving Segolia to travel past Desolation Hold with Gizelda and Mathar. The Goblin kept up a lively conversation during the ride, ignoring the sour looks that Mathar and, as they went by the Hold, the guards of the Hold shot her.

By the time they met up with the three men again, Segolia had begun to wonder if the Goblin ever shut up. She had heard of them being big-mouthed, saying whatever came to their minds, but surely that had been an exaggeration, or so she had thought. Probably in attempt to make her feel a little more comfortable, though it might just as well have been a more thorough vetting than just seeing Hati, Gizelda had asked her about her life, and Segolia had, although perhaps not telling everything, answered the Goblin woman's questions. Consequently, she had been given Gizelda's opinions about everything from Orcs and their silly clans, to the business opportunities the Orcs and Humans brought to enterprising Goblins such as herself.

Even though her Common was perhaps not as good as it once had been, Segolia had been happy to see the other half of the party again, if only so she wouldn't be the only one Gizelda would spout her every opinion to.. It was Christiam who spoke up first when they had gathered. "The Lieutenant at Triumph reckons the Great Lift is hardly reachable. 'Pparently the entire area has been overrun by Quilboar, the whole place overgrown with those plants of them."

Svaden nodded, looking grim. "An' there's th' Needles bein' underwater na'days. One a' th' lads there at Triumph said there's nary a ship goin' 'cross it. 'M afraid we're going ta have ta take th' long way 'round." The Dwarf looked somewhat crestfallen.

The Goblin woman giggled, shaking her head. "Now now boys, these Quilboar is why some of you are here, I imagine they're not much of a match. As for the Thousand Needles, I got some contacts with the boys from the Speedbarge. Not a problem to be found with that."


End file.
